MAINFRAME-B Components

There are at least five components to the basic MAINFRAME-B setup. It can get more complicated beyond this if you have really long LED strips, mirror multiple strips or have multiple MAINFRAME controllers. For now, this section will focus on the setup of all starter kits regardless of type of LED.

MAINFRAME-B Controller

This is the main brain of the MAINFRAME system, responsible for processing all incoming MIDI data, handling user-defined parameters, rendering animations, storing presets and serving the user interface. The controller has all the connections necessary for the system to function (USB-MIDI, power and LED).

LEDs

MAINFRAME-B is compatible with individually addressable LEDs using the WS2812b chipset, which are also known as “Neopixels”. These LEDs can come in many different forms, such as strips (with different densities), grids, christmas lights, rings and are often used in custom visual installations too. It doesn’t matter what form factor the LEDs come in, it’s all the same to MAINFRAME. To the system it’ll see all the LEDs as a long, continuous sequence.

These LEDs typically use a 3-pin JST cable that is red, green and white.

LED cable

This cable is just an extension cable to connect the LEDs to MAINFRAME, and will give you more flexibility where you can place the controller and LEDs. 

Connection is simple, there are male and female sides to the cable so it only fits one way. 

An important thing to note is that these cables can get a little glitchy when it is longer than 2 meters. If I can, I'd avoid very long cables.

Power supply

This power supply is used to give power to the LEDs that are connected to MAINFRAME.

The LEDs are 5V and can draw a lot of power, so each starter kit comes with a power supply that is 5V and 5A, which should be able to power smaller strips but not enough for long, or multiple strips. You might have power supplies lying around at home, but you have to double check their amperage. 

Connecting power is also fairly simple, one end goes into your power socket, and the other end plugs into MAINFRAME. You’ll see this LED turn on when power is on, so look out for that in case you run into problems later with LEDs not turning on.

Do not plug in anything more than 5V into MAINFRAME!

USB cable

MAINFRAME-B has a USB-C connector, which is used to transmit MIDI data from your DAW, and is also used to power the controller. USB does not power the LEDs!

3.5mm TRS to 5pin MIDI Dongle

If you have MAINFRAME-B+, then this dongle is necessary to connect any 5pin MIDI cable to your MAINFRAME controller.

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